In the art of providing packaging trayps, it is known to utilize a machine that has means to (1) denest trays seriatim from a magazine stack and feed the separated trays spacedly onto a horizontal flight of an endless conveyor; (2) feed an absorbent pad liner material from a roll supply and through a perforating station to at least perforate the top surface of the material whereby fluids exuded from and associated with the products to be packaged may pass through said top surface whereby to inhibit bacterial spoilage and to present a package that is more palatable to the gustatory senses; (3) cut liner lengths from said perforated material; (4) apply adhesive to the underside of each liner; (5) deposit the coated liner into adhering contact with an associated tray on the conveyor; and (6) finally transfer the lined trays to a further conveyor for subsequent handling.
Such a known apparatus system is disclosed in the commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 4,260,311 of Mark J. Hanses, issued Apr. 7, 1981, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference into the instant application for patent.
Such known apparatus system of Hanses, and related known systems, have a common disadvantage in that they present an undue sophistication and multiplication of mechanical parts and movements. Hence, as is predictable, machine costs, downtime costs, and setting maintenance are hardly conducive to economic efficiency, especially so in a high production system and even more especially so where the system may be tied into a food packaging operation.
Further, these machines, because of the aforegoing disadvantages and because at best, as in the Hanses patent structure, they rely upon a screw helix for denesting purposes, they cannot attain an operating speed that truly qualifies as a high production system, as for instance a high production assembly system that could keep pace with the tray output of a modern high production thermoformer.